Apparatus for closing and hauling in fishing-nets



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H. HOMMBRBBRG. APPARATUS FOR CLOSING AND HAULING IN FISHING NETS.

Patented Jan. 22, 1895.

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APMRATUS POR -eLosINe AND HAULING IN PISHING'NBTS.

N0. 532,962; Patented Jal; 22, 1895.

W/TNESSES:

ATTORNEYS.

mz Ncmms Pirsns co. Pnoroumo., WASHINGTON, u. c,

" Nrrnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IIAItALD HOMMERBERG, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

APPARATUS FoRoLoslNG AND HAuLlNe LIN FISHING-NETS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters liatent No. 532,962, dated January22 1895.

Application iiled August 29. 1894. Serial No. 521,625. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom. t may concern:

Be it known that I, HARALD HOMMERBERG., a subject of the King of Swedenand Norway, and at present'residing in the city of Brooklyn, county ofKings, and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Apparatusfor Closing and Hauling in Fishing-Nets, of which the following is afull, clear, and exact description.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved apparatusfor closing and hauling in fish nets or seines, without requiring thepulling of the nets on shore and without danger of losing any of theentrapped fish.

The invention consists in providinga weight block adapted to be securedto and slid along the lower edges of the opposite ends of the net whenthe same is to be hauled in whereby the said lower edges of the net areheld together, all as will be hereinafter fully set forth.

The novel features of the invention will be carefully defined in theclaims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in-which similar letters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure l is aplan view of the net as set out for trapping the `fish.Fig. 2 is a' like view of the improvement showing the weight block inplace on the closed end of the net. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of thesame. Fig. 4. is a plan view of the improvement, showing the net hauledin sufficiently to drive the fish into the bag. Fig. 5 is a transversesection of the improvement on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3. Fig. G is anenlarged side elevation, with parts in section, of the rollers for thelines and net. Fig. 7 is a transverse section of the same on the line7-7 of Fig. 6. Fig. S is an enlarged plan view ofthe weight bleek, partsbeing in ting A extending between the bottom line A2 and the top, floatline A3, provided with l suitable floats for holding such line, andoonsequently the upper edge of the net, on the surface of the water. Inthe middle part of the netting A is formed an opening A1 leading to thebag A5, which extends from the rear end of the net when the latter isset out, as will be understood by reference to Figs. 1, 2 and 3. Fromthe bottom line A2 extends a flap A6, made either of netting or canvasor other suitable material, and on the lower edge of this flap A6 isarranged the weight line A7 for holding the lower edge of the net on thebottom of the river, lake or ocean in which the fishing is done.v Fromthe bottom line A2 also extends a flap AS carrying at its outer end ablock line A9 adapted to be engaged by the weight block B, hereinaftermore fully described. A third flap A10 extends from the bottom line A2and serves as a cover for the flap AS and its line A, so that the latterare between the flaps A6 and A10, as will be readily understood byreference to Fig. 9. By this arrangement the block line A9, and also theslidable weight block B, are protected from sea-weed and other matter onthe bottom of the river, dto.

The slidable weight block B is provided with one, two or more staplesB', each engaged by a swivel B2 connected with a yoke B3 in which arepivoted the block sections B4 and B5, adapted to be opened and closed,and when in a closed position they form a fork at their outer ends, aswill be readily understood by reference to Fig. 8. In the forked ends ofgether, I provide the section B5. with an ap' ertured lug B8, extendinginto a recess in the `section B4 andadapted to be engaged by a linchpinB9 held in the section B4. See Fig. 8. By removing the linchpin B9 thetwo sections can be readily swung apart so as to permit the insertion ofthe block line A9 and the flap IOC AS, or removal of the same, as thecase may require.

The block B is held on a weight line C,

adapted to pass over a pulley D, journaled` in a bracket E, secured toone edge of the boat F, used by the fisherman to set out the net, toclose the same and to haul the fish to shore together' with the net, ashereinafter more fully described. The boat F is provided with anchorlines or chains G, carrying an anchor H, for anchoring the boat in theriver, or other' body of water in which the shing is done. On thebracket E, are formed arms E', see Figs. 6 and 7, carrying a pin I, onwhich are jonrnaled loosely the rollers J, of which two preferablyextend between the arms E and one on the outside of each arm, as isshown in the drawings. These rollers J facilitate the hauling in of thelines and portions of the nets, at the same time preventing entanglementof the line C with parts of the net.

rlhe operation is as follows: After the net is set out, as illustratedin Fig. l, and fish are entrapped between the sides of the net, then thefishermen anchor the boat F at the mouth of the net, draw in the ends ofthe net, without disturbing the sides and rear of the net as illustratedin Fig. 2. The fishermen then open the sections B4 and B5 of the weightblock B to engage the ends of the block line A9, as is plainly shown inFig. 2, after which this weight block B is put overboard and is loweredto the bottom of the river by the line C. The weight B thus causes theends of the weight line A7 to come close together, and as the float lineA3 is now held closed in the bottom of the boat, the entire net isclosed, so that the fish are entrapped within the net and cannot escape.The net is now pulled in by the fishermen in the boat F so that theWeight block B, however, holds the lower edge of the net in a closedposition, until the net has been hauled in a sufficient distance so thatthe entrapped fish must necessarily pass into the bag A5. Then this hasbeen done the weight block B is likewise hauled up, together with thebottom line A2, the weight line A7, and block line A9, and then the fishare removed from the bag A5 in any suitable manner.

The above described operation is then repeated; that is, the net is setout as above described and shown in Fig. 1, after which the ends of thenet are closed, the weight block B is again attached to the end of theblock line A, and let down to the bottom of the river to completelyclose the net. The

latter is then hauled in as described to again entrap the fish in thebag A5.

It will be seen that by the use of my apparatus it is not necessary tohaul the nets into shore as now practiced, but the net is closed afterthe fish are entrapped in the river or lake, without leaving the fishingground.

Itis further understood that in hauling in the net as above describedthe anchor lines G are slackened, so as to permit the boat to travei inthe direction of the hauling in of the net, whereby the bag A5 togetherwith the rear end of the net, remains completelyat a standstill.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent` l. A fishing net provided with a block line securedto its lower edge, and adapted to be held against longitudinal movementinde pendently thereof, and a weight block slidingly mounted on saidblock line, substantially as set forth.

2. A fishing net provided at its lower part with a flap, a block linesecured to said Hap, and a weight block having a slidable connectionwith the block line and flap, substantially as set forth.

3. A fishing net provided at its lower part with a flap, a block linesecured to said flap, a weight block detachably secured to said `flapand block line and adapted to be slid along the same, and a weight lineconnected to the block whereby the same may be hauled in, substantiallyas set forth.

et. A fishing net provided at its lower edge with a block line held on aHap, a weight `block having a slidable connection with the said blockline, and a second fiap held on the lower end of the net and adapted toprotect the block line flap and theblock, substantially as shown anddescribed.

5. An apparatus for closing and hauling in shing nets,provided with aweight block comprising a weight, block sections, a swivel connectionbetween the block sections and the said weight, and disks journaled inthe ends of the said block sections, substantially as shown anddescribed.

6. An apparatus for closing and hauling in fishingnets,provided with aweight block comprising a weight, block sections, aswivel connectionbetween the block sections and the said weight, disks journaled in theends of the said block sections, and means, substantially as described,for closing the said block sections, as set forth.

7. An apparatus for closing and hauling in fishing nets, provided with abracket secured on the boat and carrying a pulley for the weight line, apin held on the arms of the said bracket and rollers journaled looselyon the said pin, substantially as shown and described.

I-IARALD HOMMERBERG. Witnesses:

Tano. G. Hos'rna, J No. M. RITTER.

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